The present invention is generally directed to apparatus and methods for facilitating medical procedures, such as providing injections to humans and animals, and is more specifically directed to apparatus and methods effective to facilitate or to prepare a body area for one or more injections, for example by isolating an area of a body for localized cooling.
Injecting materials, for example, antibiotics, medications and cosmetic materials, into a human body is a very common and effective way of treating various conditions in a human. Such injections can cause a substantial amount of discomfort and/or pain. In some people, even the relatively small amount of discomfort or pain caused by injections can result in avoidance of needed injections. Discomfort and pain can be alleviated by applying topical anesthetics to the injection site. However, such topical anesthetics often require a substantial amount of time before they become effective once they are placed on an area of a body.
More effective apparatus and methods are needed for reducing occurrence of discomfort, pain and/or fear of a person undergoing a medical procedure such as receiving an injection.